Tag Archives: coughs

May Chang (Litsea cubeba)

May Chang header

Family: Lauraceae

Synonyms: Litsea citrate, tropical verbena, exotic verbena.

Aroma: Sweet, lemony, fruity.

Colour: Light yellow to yellow brown.

Plant: Small, tropical tree with fragrant lemongrass scented leaves and flowers. The small fruits that it produces are similar to peppers.

Main Growing Areas: China, Taiwan, Japan.

Major Constituents: myrcene, limonene, neral, geranial, nerol, linalool, linalyl acetate.

Interesting snippets: Used as fragrance in air fresheners, soaps, washing up liquids and deodorants.

Part of Plant used / Extraction: Fruit by steam distillation.

Therapeutic actions: Coughs, colds, acne skin, deodorant, nausea.

Emotional and Spiritual: Uplifting and stimulating.
Robbi Zeck writes that a clear awareness of your goals enables you to stay focused and motivated. Design a life you love and start living successfully now. Dedication and discipline are the common traits of all successful people. You can be living your life this way too. May Chang changes the rhythm of the emotional heart enabling you to celebrate your dreams and wins.

Aromatherapy Insight Card:

May Chang Aromatherapy insight card

STIMULATING
Stop allowing yourself to be overlooked and put that spark back into your step. If you want to get somewhere or get something in life, it is up to you to jump in and be seen and noticed. Being dynamic and excited helps you go and get what you want in life and rid you of the “poor me” and “why me” mentality.

Safety: Non-irritating, possibly sensitising, non-toxic.

Sources: Battaglia S, The Complete Guide To Aromatherapy. The Perfect Potion, Australia (1995)
Davis P, Aromatherapy, An A-Z. The C.W.Daniel Company Ltd. (1996)
Jefferies J, Osborn. K, Aromatherapy Insight Cards. Living Energy, Aust. (2nd Ed. 2005)
Smith I, May Chang. In Essence Vol.2 No.4 (2004)
Zeck R, The Blossoming Heart. Aroma Tours (2004)

Myrrh (Commiphora molmol)

myrrh header

Myrrh is one of the three gifts given to the baby Jesus by the three wise men. She has a long history of use both for wound healing and as a spiritual aid.

Family: Burseraceae

Aroma: Spicy, pungent, balsamic, resinous.

Colour: Light brown to reddish brown.

Myrrh treePlant: A small stunted tree with scanty leaves and small white flowers.

Main Growing Areas: Somalia, Ethiopia, the Middle East and northern India.

Major Constituents: Delta-elemene, alpha-copaene, beta-elemene, curzerene, furanoeudesma-1,3-diene, curzerenone.

Interesting snippets: The name myrrh comes from the Arabic murr meaning bitter.

Myrrh was used by the ancient Egyptians in religious ceremonies, embalming, fumigating, cosmetic preparations and perfumes.
Myrrh tearsThe trunk of the tree naturally exudes a pale yellowish oleoresin through the fissures in its bark which harden to semi-transparent reddish brown tears on exposure to air. The natives make incisions in the bark and collect the resin once it is dried and ship it off to various countries for distillation. The trees then require 6 months to two years to recover and if not given this time will wither and die.

Myrrh was given as a gift to Jesus at his birth and on his death a mixture of myrrh and aloes was applied to the linen his body was wrapped in.

Part of Plant used /Extraction: Resin by steam distillation. The resin can contain 25-45% resin, 40-60% gum and 3-8% essential oil.

Therapeutic actions: Wound healing, mouth ulcers, dry cracked skin, weepy eczema, tinea, coughs, bronchitis, painful periods.

Emotional and Spiritual: Use for people who feel stuck in their lives and want to move forward emotionally and spiritually. Helps balance the upper and lower chakras.

Gabriel Mojay writes that myrrh is able to instil deep tranquillity of mind and is one of the principal oils for overthinking, worry and mental distraction. Myrrh subtly helps to close the wounds of both loss and rejection.

Aromatherapy Insight Card:

Myrrh aromatherapy insight card                                                     Courtesy of J Jefferies & K. Osborn

INSPIRATION
Remove mundane thoughts and be inspired by what is possible. Tap into your dreams and visions to release a liberating strength and awareness. Be curious, seeing only possibility. Myrrh helps you be still and grounded while being inspired so that you can manifest your dreams.

Contemplations for the Soul:

Myrrh Contemplation for the Soul

Are you feeling overwhelmed, rejected, or have lost someone or something precious to you?
Are you stressed, confused, worried or lacking clarity?
Have you been wounded physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually?
Ask your family, friends and angels to support you through this difficult time.
Spend time in nature to bring you some inner calm, peace and tranquillity.
Although it may be difficult if you have been wounded, learn to trust both yourself and others again.
If you are feeling stressed look at all the possibilities and accept that there may be other answers that you are not yet aware of.

Safety: Non-irritating, non-sensitising, non-toxic.

Sources: Battaglia S, The Complete Guide To Aromatherapy. The Perfect Potion, Australia (1995)
Bowles E.J, The A to Z of Essential Oils. New Burlington Books (2003)
Kerr, J, Myrrh Essential Oil Profile. Aromatherapy Today, Vol.23 (2002)
Hodges C. Contemplations for the Soul (2016)
Jefferies J, Osborn. K, Aromatherapy Insight Cards. Living Energy, Aust. (2nd Ed. 2005)
Mojay G, Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit. Hodder and Stoughton (1996)

Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)

Cypress header

Family: Cupressaceae

Synonyms: Italian cypress, Mediterranean cypress

Aroma: Slightly spicy, woody

Colour: Pale yellow

Cypress treePlant: An evergreen tree with small flowers that produce green/brown to gray/brown cones. It has an arrow like erect shape and reaches a height of between 25 and 40 metres.

Main Growing Areas: Mediterranean, France, Spain, Morocco

Major Constituents: alpha pinene, beta pinene, sabinene, delta-3-carene, terpinolene, linalool.

Interesting snippets: Cypress was first mentioned in Assyrian texts 3,500 years ago as a treatment for haemorrhoids. The leaves were also used in purification rites.
The ancient Greeks dedicated the tree to Hades, the god of the underworld. The tree is found in many cemeteries and is the symbol of grief.
Ancient civilizations used the leaves to stop internal bleeding, haemorrhoids and diarrhoea.

Cypress leaves and conesPart of Plant used /Extraction: Terminal branches/needles, leaves and twigs by steam distillation. The branches are harvested in autumn with distillation taking approximately 17 hours to produce approximately 0.2 % of essential oil from the fresh plant material.

Therapeutic actions: Coughs, varicose veins, haemorrhoids, painful periods and excessive menstrual bleeds, deodorant for sweaty feet.

Emotional and Spiritual: Oil of transition. She helps you cope with and accept even difficult change whether of an outer or inner spiritual nature. She helps dissolve remorse and instil optimism allowing you to move through the ebb and flow of life. She can also assist those transiting from life to death to accept the outcome and gives a sense of comfort and eases the feelings of loss in those left behind.

Cleanses the spirit and helps release blocked and suppressed emotions.

Valerie Ann Worwood writes that cypress offers strength and energetic protection to those who need protecting, and those who are feeling vulnerable and insecure, or have lost their purpose.

Robbi Zeck writes that during times of change cypress supports and holds the space for the soul to remain in balance. Support will come from everywhere, you simply need to find your voice and ask!

Deborah Eidson states that energetically cypress encourages inner strength and spiritual growth and affirms the direction and purpose of your path. Cypress supports you in making life-changing decisions.

Aromatherapy Insight Card:

Cypress(Courtesy of J.Jefferies & K. Osborn)

TRANSITION
Helps in times of emotional and physical transition such as career changes, moving home or dealing with the loss of a loved one.
Change is inevitable, moving from one state to another and from one experience to another. The world moves fast now so we need to go outside our boxes and move with the changes that are happening around us. As you move forward, leave everything that drains you behind. When you move from one challenge and experience to the next, Cypress supports and protects you. This time of transition can either be positive if you go with it or a struggle if you resist it. Go forward, and stop people and situations from draining your emotional energy. Enjoy the ride.

Fragrant Change Healing Card: I move forward with ease and grace.

CypressContemplations for the Soul:

Cypress CFTS card

Are you going through a period of change emotionally, spiritually or in your circumstances?
Are you finding it difficult to adapt to change, clinging to what was?
What fears are holding you back from changing and moving on?
It’s time to accept that things are no longer the same and to move on.
Do you need to ask for support to help you move on?
Know that within you there is an inner strength which will allow you to move forward. Dig deep and find it.
If this change involves the loss of a loved one take time to mourn their loss and then move on with your life knowing they will never be forgotten and will live on in your heart.

Safety: Non-irritating, non-sensitising.

Sources: Battaglia S, The Complete Guide To Aromatherapy. The Perfect Potion, Australia (1995)
Eidson D, Vibrational Healing, Frog Books (2000)
Hodges C. Contemplations for the Soul (2016)
Hodges C, Fragrant Change Healing Cards (2015)
Jefferies J, Osborn. K, Aromatherapy Insight Cards. Living Energy, Aust. (2nd Ed. 2005)
Kerr J, Cypress Essential Oil Profile. Aromatherapy Today, Vol.14 (2000)
Mojay G, Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit. Hodder and Stoughton (1996)
Worwood V.A, The Fragrant Heavens. Doubleday Publishing UK (1999)